Veloviewer. Who is using it, and what do you get from it?
Discussion
Hmmm?
I'm probably being a techno-biffa, but that "compare" feature is leaving me frustrated. But no matter...
An update of sorts today. Back on April 16th 2020, I started this thread, with a Max Square of 14x14.
Today I went out to grab 4 tiles up near Wilton/Salisbury, and after a successful, if sloppy trip, I now have a Max Square of 28x28. Not bad for a little under 7 months of riding. I was shocked by the numbers too. A 14x14 square is 196 tiles. But a 28x28 square is 784 tiles. So to double the length of the sides of your square you need to ride four times more tiles. No wonder it can feel a bit frustrating at times, ride after ride where the Max Square simply "refuses" to grow.
Shortly after I started this thread...
...this was how my Explorer Tile Map looked on April 20th 2020. The "old" 14x14 Max Square was centred on my previous home in Farnborough.
Compare that version of the map...
...with this snapshot from 03rd November 2020. You can see where I've "moved" my Max Square down to base it on my new address in Bournemout, and expanded it north. And where I've worked on joining the new (western) cluster to the old (eastern) cluster. One decent ride should join them up into one large Max Cluster too.
And after today's ride...
...my Max Square is now 28x28 (as at November 03rd 2020) with 6 more tiles needed to reach it's limit of 29x29 (bounded by the sea in the south, and four 'Impossible Tiles' at the Porton Down MOD Range Complex in the north.
It was a lot of graft today. 35 tiles ridden to get just four new tiles. Much of it done on bridleways which were very sloppy. Tough to keep the wheels turning on the climbs, and dicey going down with quite a lot of sideways action at the rear wheel.
Current VeloViewer stats:
VeloViewer Score = 98.622
Explorer Score = 3632
Max Square = 28x28
Max Cluster = 1391
I'm probably being a techno-biffa, but that "compare" feature is leaving me frustrated. But no matter...
An update of sorts today. Back on April 16th 2020, I started this thread, with a Max Square of 14x14.
Today I went out to grab 4 tiles up near Wilton/Salisbury, and after a successful, if sloppy trip, I now have a Max Square of 28x28. Not bad for a little under 7 months of riding. I was shocked by the numbers too. A 14x14 square is 196 tiles. But a 28x28 square is 784 tiles. So to double the length of the sides of your square you need to ride four times more tiles. No wonder it can feel a bit frustrating at times, ride after ride where the Max Square simply "refuses" to grow.
Shortly after I started this thread...
...this was how my Explorer Tile Map looked on April 20th 2020. The "old" 14x14 Max Square was centred on my previous home in Farnborough.
Compare that version of the map...
...with this snapshot from 03rd November 2020. You can see where I've "moved" my Max Square down to base it on my new address in Bournemout, and expanded it north. And where I've worked on joining the new (western) cluster to the old (eastern) cluster. One decent ride should join them up into one large Max Cluster too.
And after today's ride...
...my Max Square is now 28x28 (as at November 03rd 2020) with 6 more tiles needed to reach it's limit of 29x29 (bounded by the sea in the south, and four 'Impossible Tiles' at the Porton Down MOD Range Complex in the north.
It was a lot of graft today. 35 tiles ridden to get just four new tiles. Much of it done on bridleways which were very sloppy. Tough to keep the wheels turning on the climbs, and dicey going down with quite a lot of sideways action at the rear wheel.
Current VeloViewer stats:
VeloViewer Score = 98.622
Explorer Score = 3632
Max Square = 28x28
Max Cluster = 1391
Edited by yellowjack on Tuesday 3rd November 23:37
yellowjack said:
Hmmm?
I'm probably being a techno-biffa, but that "compare" feature is leaving me frustrated. But no matter...
I couldn't get it to work the other morning. You can only compare a segment with another segment, getting the right segment references can be tricky.I'm probably being a techno-biffa, but that "compare" feature is leaving me frustrated. But no matter...
Edited by yellowjack on Tuesday 3rd November 23:37
Find one of the segments you want to compare on Veloviewer. If it's from a recent ride go to Activities, click on the ride, then click on the segment, then click on the compare tab at the right.
Then find the one you want to compare with the first. Go to a ride on Strava, and then click on a segment, there's a compare option. Click on that and a separate page comes up with "Effort Comparison" as the heading. In the html text at the top of the screen it says something like -"https://www.strava.com/segments/2204212/compare/Mjc1NzE5NzM1NzQ5NzMyMDA0NiwyMjAzNjU5NTcxNA=="
Extract the segment number from that and drop it into the right hand window on Veloviewer, in this case "2204212", and hit the red + sign next to it. That should do it.
Well that was a ballache. Komoot claimed I could cycle through an old industrial estate and across a bridge over a river to nab some tiles. Cycled up to locked gates, ended up cycling along a beach to get some of the tiles then doubling back to try and get others, but I've missed 1 tile right in the middle so I'll need to work out how to get it as it's part of the locked industrial estate. Under time pressure now too as we've been given an entry date for the new house of 27th November, so I really only have 1 or 2 more chances to boost my max square and cluster at this location.
Route:
Ride pics:
Stats:
VV score: 85.668 (Up from 85.332)
364 tiles (Up from 339 tiles), average of 2.566 (down from 2.652) mi per tile
Max square: 10x10 (No change)
Max cluster: 210 (Up from 157)
Eddington Ride: 23 (No change)
Map:
It looks like I can possibly get the missing tile by parking up just off the A78 where these sneaky traffic cops have been caught by the google streetview car...
... But it looks like gates are here too... Will need to take a trip down and chance my arm.
If I can't get this tile it scuppers getting to a 13x13 square at this location.
According to Ride Every Tile 2 people have been in the tile so there is hope...
I've got the 2 tiles marked with a tick here but need the one with the X:
Route:
Ride pics:
Stats:
VV score: 85.668 (Up from 85.332)
364 tiles (Up from 339 tiles), average of 2.566 (down from 2.652) mi per tile
Max square: 10x10 (No change)
Max cluster: 210 (Up from 157)
Eddington Ride: 23 (No change)
Map:
It looks like I can possibly get the missing tile by parking up just off the A78 where these sneaky traffic cops have been caught by the google streetview car...
... But it looks like gates are here too... Will need to take a trip down and chance my arm.
If I can't get this tile it scuppers getting to a 13x13 square at this location.
According to Ride Every Tile 2 people have been in the tile so there is hope...
I've got the 2 tiles marked with a tick here but need the one with the X:
Edited by Comacchio on Sunday 8th November 19:04
Google.sat.view it. Not a normal industrial estate that, looks like explosives or something! Tried to find out if it is.from war era etc but my google fu wont tell me. Clearly used to be a lot bigger, with a huge swathe of what look like small earth circles (not quite circles) all overgrown now. Would love to know the history of it and then go there and explore..
Edit. Found it!
You're not just going to be able to mince into the main part any time soon!!
Edit. Found it!
You're not just going to be able to mince into the main part any time soon!!
Edited by Some Gump on Sunday 8th November 21:43
My own VV challenge got a boost yesterday, I bagged the last of the Sussex climbs from Simon Warren. Been planning this for ages, the whole ride there and back was going to be 100 miles or more, and I've never ventured that far in that direction. With the cold weather a week ago I parked the idea, but then the forecast for yesterday was very mild. I'd spent the weekend breaking up pallets and making a deck, so the start of the ride felt hard, and the slight headwind had me doubting I could ride 100 km, never mind 100 miles. The route had the advantage of returning along the coast, so generally flatter and I could always get a train at one of several stations.
Peter James Lane starts off reasonably gently, and I was starting to think it didn't deserve its place, but there's a nasty kick at the end. It tops out on Battery Hill which isn't one of the climbs but I decided to check it out, also pretty hard. Probably harder than PJL but definitely more of a major road so could be nasty at Rush Hour.
Got a bit of a second wind heading home, with the tailwind helping my knackered body, but the showers were coming faster and heavier, so I hopped on the train at Eastbourne. It will be a good Imperial Century when the weather improves.
Used NCR2 for a lot of the return, when you are very tired its nice to just follow signs and not a computer or barely remembered directions. One part after Battery Hill leading to Bexhill started off beautifully, a couple of metres wide, smooth tarmac, not many people around, downhill. Then it became as bad as a farm track, no firm surface mud and puddles. From track bike to tractor in a couple of yards. I knew Bexhill was less than 2 miles away and guessed it would improve before, so ploughed on.
Daveyraveygravey said:
My own VV challenge got a boost yesterday, I bagged the last of the Sussex climbs from Simon Warren. Been planning this for ages, the whole ride there and back was going to be 100 miles or more, and I've never ventured that far in that direction. With the cold weather a week ago I parked the idea, but then the forecast for yesterday was very mild. I'd spent the weekend breaking up pallets and making a deck, so the start of the ride felt hard, and the slight headwind had me doubting I could ride 100 km, never mind 100 miles. The route had the advantage of returning along the coast, so generally flatter and I could always get a train at one of several stations.
Peter James Lane starts off reasonably gently, and I was starting to think it didn't deserve its place, but there's a nasty kick at the end. It tops out on Battery Hill which isn't one of the climbs but I decided to check it out, also pretty hard. Probably harder than PJL but definitely more of a major road so could be nasty at Rush Hour.
Got a bit of a second wind heading home, with the tailwind helping my knackered body, but the showers were coming faster and heavier, so I hopped on the train at Eastbourne. It will be a good Imperial Century when the weather improves.
Used NCR2 for a lot of the return, when you are very tired its nice to just follow signs and not a computer or barely remembered directions. One part after Battery Hill leading to Bexhill started off beautifully, a couple of metres wide, smooth tarmac, not many people around, downhill. Then it became as bad as a farm track, no firm surface mud and puddles. From track bike to tractor in a couple of yards. I knew Bexhill was less than 2 miles away and guessed it would improve before, so ploughed on.
ukbabz said:
Nice one! That's some effort and good work to tick them all off. How are you looking at the full 100?
Well, there's two ways this could go! The original 100 I've only done 18, I can't see me realistically getting many of them. Of the newer regional ones, I could content myself with improving my times on the Sussex ones, they are all rideable from home, although as I am now in my mid-fifties I don't know how realistic it would be to get big improvements on my pbs.
I prefer not to put the bike in the car and drive to an area, but I started to look at the other south east ones, I have done 31 out of 60 now, so that's probably what I will look at. Surrey and Kent next, only done 10 out of 24. I suspect some of the ones at the far end of Kent would take quite a drive to get to...
Some Gump said:
Google.sat.view it. Not a normal industrial estate that, looks like explosives or something! Tried to find out if it is.from war era etc but my google fu wont tell me. Clearly used to be a lot bigger, with a huge swathe of what look like small earth circles (not quite circles) all overgrown now. Would love to know the history of it and then go there and explore..
Edit. Found it!
You're not just going to be able to mince into the main part any time soon!!
Went a wee recce tonight on foot (I know not really in the spirit of it but there's no way I'll get a bike into this tile) and found a hole in the fence. Went in as far as I dared as there's an operating sand quarry with lots of trucks and diggers about so didn't want to get caught. Couldn't get anywhere near the interesting stuff, would be worth a wee look on a Sunday as I suspect they won't be working then. Nabbed the tile anyway.Edit. Found it!
You're not just going to be able to mince into the main part any time soon!!
Edited by Some Gump on Sunday 8th November 21:43
Stats:
VV score: 85.700 (Up from 85.668)
365 tiles (Up from 364 tiles), average of 2.561 (down from 2.566) mi per tile
Max square: 10x10 (No change)
Max cluster: 214 (Up from 210)
Eddington Ride: 23 (No change)
Next ride out should take me to 13x13 then pretty sure I'll be starting a new square at the new house from then on! Still missing the odd few squares in the cluster which is nagging at me but don't have a lot of time left here so they'll just need to be bagged down the line.
Big jump in my Max Cluster today. Up from 1490 to 2171. An increase of 681 as a result of one ride. Mainly as a result of hoovering up a couple of isolated tiles around Medstead/Four Marks, just off the A31. My Max Cluster is now continuous from Dorchester in the West to Box Hill in the East, and from it's Southern-most point on Purbeck, near Swanage, to it's most Northerly extreme just South of High Wycombe...
Before today's ride. Dark blue in the west? My Max Cluster. Light blue in the east? Another cluster, curated before I found VeloViewer tiling, that wasn't quite connected due to a single unridden tile near Four Marks, just off the A31.
After today's ride. I concentrated today's effort on getting that one tile near Four Marks, along with a number of other isolated small groups. I failed to get to all the target tiles, but succeeded in claiming enough to turn much of the light blue cluster to dark blue, massively increasing the size of my Max cluster.
I wasn't sure whether this was a road name or an instruction to cyclists to pop the front wheel up, going down the hill. Erring on the side of caution (and because I can't get the wheel up on a road bike), I kept both wheels firmly on the ground.
Before today's ride. Dark blue in the west? My Max Cluster. Light blue in the east? Another cluster, curated before I found VeloViewer tiling, that wasn't quite connected due to a single unridden tile near Four Marks, just off the A31.
After today's ride. I concentrated today's effort on getting that one tile near Four Marks, along with a number of other isolated small groups. I failed to get to all the target tiles, but succeeded in claiming enough to turn much of the light blue cluster to dark blue, massively increasing the size of my Max cluster.
I wasn't sure whether this was a road name or an instruction to cyclists to pop the front wheel up, going down the hill. Erring on the side of caution (and because I can't get the wheel up on a road bike), I kept both wheels firmly on the ground.
Edited by yellowjack on Wednesday 11th November 23:34
Amazing effort Yellowjack!
Wee ride away from my normal stomping ground a bit today gives the following:
Explorer Score: 1,138 (up from 1,126)
Max Square: 9x9
Max Cluster: 149 (up from 147)
Was a bit of a gravel ride on the old railway line which was dicey on my Specialized Tarmac - definitely needing something with bigger tyres!
Wee ride away from my normal stomping ground a bit today gives the following:
Explorer Score: 1,138 (up from 1,126)
Max Square: 9x9
Max Cluster: 149 (up from 147)
Was a bit of a gravel ride on the old railway line which was dicey on my Specialized Tarmac - definitely needing something with bigger tyres!
Went exploring earlier, in a quest to fill in the gap near irlam moss.
Was fun, but left with loads of holes due to:
A path that exists on Strava but not in reality
A path that might possibly exist in dry weather, but the "moss" in Irlam moss is a hint and there was no way i was going to ride into that!
2 locked gates
A f
king massive Doberman that did NOT want me to cycle thought its yard and i wasnt going to argue.
Now at 21x21, but it was nice to go mtb tiling for a change
Was fun, but left with loads of holes due to:
A path that exists on Strava but not in reality
A path that might possibly exist in dry weather, but the "moss" in Irlam moss is a hint and there was no way i was going to ride into that!
2 locked gates
A f
king massive Doberman that did NOT want me to cycle thought its yard and i wasnt going to argue.Now at 21x21, but it was nice to go mtb tiling for a change
I went out yesterday - 100km loop to finally bag 4 tiles that were a sticking point. Also bagged a couple more tiles by going down the A49 which is a road I'd normally avoid but it was quiet.
One of the tiles didn't have any roads or bridleways on the OS map so I thought hike-a-bike was going to be needed. Then when poking around on Streetview I spotted a sign in the hedge, so more searching turned up a permissive bridleway - it's the track opposite Soulton Hall. Bless the landowner for allowing it!
So I bounced off down this track - I had to lean into the crosswind coming back to the road!
It was worth slogging into the wind though - I went from 9x9 to 15x15 max square.
I might drag the MTB out next weekend as the next gaps to fill are properly off-road.
One of the tiles didn't have any roads or bridleways on the OS map so I thought hike-a-bike was going to be needed. Then when poking around on Streetview I spotted a sign in the hedge, so more searching turned up a permissive bridleway - it's the track opposite Soulton Hall. Bless the landowner for allowing it!
So I bounced off down this track - I had to lean into the crosswind coming back to the road!
It was worth slogging into the wind though - I went from 9x9 to 15x15 max square.
I might drag the MTB out next weekend as the next gaps to fill are properly off-road.
Another groundwork day... started with the delightful four lane section of the A31. The Strava segment title is rather apt - "run". 
But at 9am on a Sunday, it wasn't particularly hairy.
Then I finished the day off with a cheeky lap of the Moors Valley singletrack!
But at 9am on a Sunday, it wasn't particularly hairy.
Then I finished the day off with a cheeky lap of the Moors Valley singletrack!
Edited by Solocle on Sunday 22 November 14:05
Managed to get out in the wind and rain today to finish off tiling at my current home - moving on Friday if no obstacles appear. First trip out with the Wahoo Elemnt Roam, thoroughly impressed with it. Glad I never went for a touch screen device - was able to wipe the rain off the screen when it got too difficult to see without worrying about messing up the UI etc. Rerouting when going off track was quick and efficient, audible warnings were great, LEDs along the side and top were a nice touch too. The Strava live segment element of it definitely made me push harder, although you need to plan your route in advance and make the segments starred on Strava for them to sync across to the Roam.
Anyways,
Route stats and map.
VV score: 86.028 (Up from 85.700)
383 tiles (Up from 365 tiles), average of 2.513 (down from 2.561) mi per tile
Max square: 13x13 (Up from 10x10)
Max cluster: 240 (Up from 214)
Eddington Ride: 23 (No change)
I've ran out of time to get any more tiles to the east/south east, but pretty happy that I've managed to get that whole area ticked off, taking me to 13x13 - it'll remain 13x13 for a while I reckon ad the new house is 15 tiles away from the top right of my cluster so there's a whole load of new areas to explore!
Anyways,
Route stats and map.
VV score: 86.028 (Up from 85.700)
383 tiles (Up from 365 tiles), average of 2.513 (down from 2.561) mi per tile
Max square: 13x13 (Up from 10x10)
Max cluster: 240 (Up from 214)
Eddington Ride: 23 (No change)
I've ran out of time to get any more tiles to the east/south east, but pretty happy that I've managed to get that whole area ticked off, taking me to 13x13 - it'll remain 13x13 for a while I reckon ad the new house is 15 tiles away from the top right of my cluster so there's a whole load of new areas to explore!
Well today was the first time 'out tiling' in around 2 months after my little tumble on the MTB leading to a knackered shoulder. Felt good to get back on the bike for a longer period. A bit chilly but not too bad, although sitting outside for a cuppa was a faf. A fast paced 100km over to Thame and back to pick up a couple of tiles was on the cards.
2987 tiles (+16 from 2971) average of 6.539 km per tile (no change)
Max square 22x22 (up from 21x21)
Max Cluster: 777 (+15 from 762)
Veloviewer score - 99.487
Eddington 46miles
My target of a cluster of 1k and a 25x25 max square is going to have to wait until next year.
2987 tiles (+16 from 2971) average of 6.539 km per tile (no change)
Max square 22x22 (up from 21x21)
Max Cluster: 777 (+15 from 762)
Veloviewer score - 99.487
Eddington 46miles
My target of a cluster of 1k and a 25x25 max square is going to have to wait until next year.
Solocle said:
Another groundwork day... started with the delightful four lane section of the A31. The Strava segment title is rather apt - "run".
But at 9am on a Sunday, it wasn't particularly hairy.
You're crazier even than I am! The A31 between the M27 and the A338 Bournemouth spur road is pretty much a de facto motorway. In fact, with a hard shoulder to ride on, you'd probably be safer on a motorway. I rode the section up the hill from the M27, the right hand bend where the water company works is, only to the turn off opposite Stony Cross, late at night. And all I had was idiots "tooting" at me.But at 9am on a Sunday, it wasn't particularly hairy.
I got most of those tiles before I realised I "needed" them, with a mixture of road and off-road riding. There are good off-road routes over the top of the New Forest, parallel to the A31 on both sides. I found them as part of a local Strava club's 'Gravel Time Trial' series. The mechanic at my local shop would put up a Strava segment each fortnight (it started weekly) and a bunch of us would "duke it out" in our own time, with a winner declared at the end of the two weeks. Then there's the Castleman Trail heading west from Moors Valley which avoids the A31 too.
Having said all that, I'm giving serious consideration to riding a 7 to 10 mile section of the A303 west of Stonehenge, simply because it would be "navigationally simpler" than taking my MTB and bashing byways and bridleways!
Anyway. Well done to all those who have been out tiling this week. It's been a pretty grubby week, weather-wise, and I've been at home watching telly with my wife, or walking with her while she's had a week out of work. So no cycling for me in the week where I turned 50. But I'm hoping to get myself back out there tomorrow to see if I feel any different now that I've officially moved up into the 'Grand Veteran' age category...
yellowjack said:
You're crazier even than I am! The A31 between the M27 and the A338 Bournemouth spur road is pretty much a de facto motorway. In fact, with a hard shoulder to ride on, you'd probably be safer on a motorway. I rode the section up the hill from the M27, the right hand bend where the water company works is, only to the turn off opposite Stony Cross, late at night. And all I had was idiots "tooting" at me.
I got most of those tiles before I realised I "needed" them, with a mixture of road and off-road riding. There are good off-road routes over the top of the New Forest, parallel to the A31 on both sides. I found them as part of a local Strava club's 'Gravel Time Trial' series. The mechanic at my local shop would put up a Strava segment each fortnight (it started weekly) and a bunch of us would "duke it out" in our own time, with a winner declared at the end of the two weeks. Then there's the Castleman Trail heading west from Moors Valley which avoids the A31 too.
Having said all that, I'm giving serious consideration to riding a 7 to 10 mile section of the A303 west of Stonehenge, simply because it would be "navigationally simpler" than taking my MTB and bashing byways and bridleways!
Anyway. Well done to all those who have been out tiling this week. It's been a pretty grubby week, weather-wise, and I've been at home watching telly with my wife, or walking with her while she's had a week out of work. So no cycling for me in the week where I turned 50. But I'm hoping to get myself back out there tomorrow to see if I feel any different now that I've officially moved up into the 'Grand Veteran' age category...
Yeah, I thought it would be bad... but most of it had a frontage road, which was perfectly pleasant. That left a 600m bash into Ringwood, or there's possibly an off road alternative. But it didn't look great, and it's been wet recently. I meant to hit it at 8:30, but it was more like 9:30. Still, being a Sunday morning with some semblance of lockdown, I was fairly happy with the traffic level. With the added bonus that traffic staying on the A31 would be in lane 3 I got most of those tiles before I realised I "needed" them, with a mixture of road and off-road riding. There are good off-road routes over the top of the New Forest, parallel to the A31 on both sides. I found them as part of a local Strava club's 'Gravel Time Trial' series. The mechanic at my local shop would put up a Strava segment each fortnight (it started weekly) and a bunch of us would "duke it out" in our own time, with a winner declared at the end of the two weeks. Then there's the Castleman Trail heading west from Moors Valley which avoids the A31 too.
Having said all that, I'm giving serious consideration to riding a 7 to 10 mile section of the A303 west of Stonehenge, simply because it would be "navigationally simpler" than taking my MTB and bashing byways and bridleways!
Anyway. Well done to all those who have been out tiling this week. It's been a pretty grubby week, weather-wise, and I've been at home watching telly with my wife, or walking with her while she's had a week out of work. So no cycling for me in the week where I turned 50. But I'm hoping to get myself back out there tomorrow to see if I feel any different now that I've officially moved up into the 'Grand Veteran' age category...
Tbh I'd be wary of that bit of the A303, since there's a significant amount of single carriageway involved. My experience is that at quiet times, those are the worst bits of the A303, although I'm admittedly extrapolating from a sample size of 2.
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